The Last Watch Before Dawn
by TheLiteralPages
Summary: The adventures of the only female member of the dwarf company, as she fights alongside her friends for the kingdom they lost. As the journey goes along friendship turns to love and relationships will be tested. Featuring Fili/reader and maybe a little kili/reader. The opportunity for thorin/reader. Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**_The Last Watch Before Dawn_**

**_Chapter 1_**

You sigh, for as usual, this journey has caused people to lose track of the days, meaning that nobody will remember that today is your birthday. You tilt your head, looking up at the first hints of sunshine that spill through the dark sky like ink and the few remaining stars before they fade into the sky. Your body is slumped against a tree at the top of the hill, the company of dwarves sleeping soundly below you as you take the last watch before dawn. It's peaceful like this, with the birds still sleeping, the night creatures beginning to curl up and the the daylight animals not quite awake, only the sound of the breeze blowing through the trees reminds you that time hasn't stopped to hold you in this perfectly calm moment. You look down once again at the rest of your company, all resting in a peaceful slumber, their faces void of any expression, allowing their masks to give way to their innocence. All except Thorin, who sits by the remains of the fire, studying the key Gandalf gave to him as if it holds the answers to all of middle earth.  
As if he feels you watching, he glances up, and you look away, not quite confident enough to be held in the dwarf prince's stare. Instead you look down at Fili and Kili, both laying in rested positions by one of the trees, weapons laying nearby should they be called to use. They both look utterly beautiful, faces relaxed and wisps of hair blowing gently in the breeze.  
Eventually Bofur wakes, and begins to restart the fire for breakfast. The others will be waking soon, so you take the opportunity to walk down to the small lake near the camp, so you can bathe and wash the forest out of your hair.  
The water is cool against your skin, refreshing and pure and you're aware that you haven't got as long as you'd like, but it's long enough to clean yourself and wash your clothes. While they dry you sit in your spare tunic, bare legs propped against the warm grey rocks that surround the lake, soaking up the early morning sunshine, brushing out your long hair which reaches half way down your back. Normally you'd be overjoyed that it had grown this long, but with all the fighting and terrain and sleeping on the ground, it has become a nuisance to deal with. You have a hair tie and usually plaited it, but in battle it tended to come undone and hang about your face, getting caught up in your bow.  
'I'd hate to cut it off' you mutter to yourself, as you untangle the last strand.  
The forest is starting to come alive and you hear the distant sounds of dwarf song as they cook. After inspecting your clothes and deciding they seem to be dry enough, you redress and head back to camp.  
Thorin remains in the same position as before, only the key is gone and he stares lost in thought into the fire, only looking up as you enter into the clearing. The others are all awake and moving about, apart from Ori who is snoring loudly. You move over and sit on the ground in front of one of the log seats by the fire, your damp clothes causing a slight chill to come about you. The next thing you know, someone is pushing you forward slightly so that they can sit down on the log. You turn your head as smile at Fili, who winks and wraps a blanket around your shoulders, obviously spotting that you feel the cold this morning.  
'Morning,' he whispers, as you turn back around to face the fire, your back pressed against his legs.  
'Good morning,' you reply, tugging the blanket closer as the others begin to serve up breakfast, passing wooden bowls around to the dwarves.  
Kili comes and sits on the ground next to you, handing you a bowl of food with a smile, a quiet greeting exchanged before tucking in. All is quiet in the camp, apart from the sound of spoons against bowls and Dwalin waking Ori up for food.  
You finish before the others, finding your appetite to be not as strong as usual, and relax back against Fili. He must have finished also, because suddenly, he's pulling your long hair onto his lap and combing it through with his fingers, causing you to close your eyes and let the heat from the fire warm your face. You sit like this for many minutes and are about to drift off to sleep when Fili lets it fall back over your shoulders. It feels heavier somehow, so you reach up to touch it and find that he has braided a few pieces individually, using his metal ties to hold each one in place, before putting them all into a hairdo that will allow you to keep your length and stop your hair from getting into your face in battle. Your face lights up and you turn to thank him, pulling him into a hug.

'Happy Birthday' he whispers into your ear, before kissing you on the cheek and getting up to go feed the horses.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

The day moves on slowly, with endless walking through the forest after packing up camp and moving on. The sun is hot, beating down on your skin from above, a thin layer of sweat forming on your forehead. The mood in the group is odd, a tension is in the air, anticipation is building. The group isn't far from an elf settlement, maybe three days away, and Thorin is tense.

The tension of the leader has settled on the group, bubbling under the surface.

As you are looking around at your surroundings for any sign of danger, you feel a nudge from your right, it is Bilbo.

'You're awfully quiet this morning,' he observes.

'Im sorry, I must just be tired' you reply, smiling slightly.

'Or perhaps it is the effects of today, your birthday I hear?' He nudges you again, this time his eyes point forward, towards the front of the group.

Your eyes follow his, to where the brothers are riding next to each other up ahead, 'They told you?'

'Where I'm from, a birthday is a cause for celebration' he smiles, eyes glazing over as memories overtake him.

'I don't want a celebration. Our mission has no room for it,' you shrug. 'And besides, there are more important things to concentrate on, Thorin barely let me come as it is'

Master Baggins looks crestfallen for a moment, before regaining his composure, 'Ahh, yes. I suppose there is that.'

You move on in silence, only the sound of hooves beating the packed mud floor and the steady breathing of the horses make any real noise. You sway slightly, the heat getting to you, a headache already building in the front of your head. A lightheaded dizziness overcomes you and you reach for your water pouch, the need to hydrate causing you to lean over the side of the horse and reach your hand out faster than necessary. Dehydration presses at you once more, and you feel the world tip to the side, the rear up of the horse and the pain in your shoulder as it collides with the earth floor. A sharp pain ripples across it, an immediate bloom of heat in your shoulder, knocking the air from your lungs.

'Stop!' Dwalin shouts to the others, and the movement of the group halts, all eyes spinning in your direction. You avoid them, already feeling the eyes of Thorin, Kili and Fili burning into your skull. It makes you uncomfortable to know they're watching you.

You sigh, feeling pathetic for letting the heat affect you like this. You're proving Thorin's point exactly when he said it was a bad idea for you to join the men. You sigh once more, chastising yourself in your head as you stand back up, fighting off the pain in your shoulder and your beating headache.

A red blush of humiliation dusts your cheeks and the others begin moving again, Thorin's patience gone, leaving you at the back of the troupe. You climb back on, drink some water and catch up slightly, leaving a gap between you and the others. You allow your newly braided hair to fall in your face, hoping it will cover your blush. The quiet banging together of the metal beads Fili put in place causing your cheeks to crimson again as you wonder what he thought of your obvious display of weakness.

The day seems to drag even more after that.

'Happy Birthday to me,' you mutter sarcastically letting one tear fall, accepting in this moment, the need to feel emotions.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Eventually, after a long and tiresome eight hours of travel, the company's horses slowed before settling into camp in a clearing only a stones throw from a small lake.

The day had taken its toll on you, you felt tired and miserable, having hardly spoken to the others since falling from your horse. The humiliation of that moment still hung over you like a stale cloud, unwelcome and bothersome. Slowly, and to waste time, you climbed from your horse and walked it over to the others, taking longer than usual to remove your pack and put down the hay.

You could feel a thick layer of grime on your skin, and you muscles felt sore from sitting in such an uncomfortable position for so long. You longed to make your way down to the lake and wash the filth caked on your skin, and to feel the cool water sloshing over you. Secretly you hoped that a good wash would rid you of your earlier embarrassment, but in your heart you know this to be untrue.

Kicking a large chunk of mossy dirt that had detached from the forest floor as you went, you made your way to the edge of the clearing to make your spot.

You had just put your things down when you heard Thorin call out, 'Over here, where we can keep an eye on you.'

He sounded tired. He looked it too. Huge bags aged his face, making him look older somehow, and angry. He looked angry. Not the in-the-moment kind of anger most encountered, but the slow building anger of a man crippled by disaster.

You let out a growl, the frustration of the day and the building desire to be surrounded by your kin, and to be in one place for more than a day. If only for this day, even just an hour, you could sit with you mother and enjoy your birthday. The birthday that was forgotten. Your action was unexpected, shocking the other dwarves at your defiance of Thorin. You hadn't meant to come across like that, so picked up your stuff and dumped it down closer to the spot Dori was piling with wood for the fire later on. Looking up you saw all eyes on you, some amused, some irritated. Thorin's were unreadable. He looked calm, composed.

'I don't need to be watched over' you stated, clenching your jaw.

'That is a matter of opinion,' he replied, dismissively.

'I'm going to wash,' you say to no one in particular, looking for an excuse to leave.

The dwarves only stare at you, the atmosphere tense. Only Bilbo shows any emotion, looking fairly awkward at the edge of the group, unsure weather to speak up on not. You feel grateful for his sheepish attempt, the eternal struggle showing his caring nature. You found comfort in that, in any display of emotion other than the cold stares of homeless warriors that you had been rewarded with recently.

You leave, walking quickly away from the group, and the situation, and lose yourself in thoughts of home, and the reason for your journey.

The lake was beautiful, undisturbed by creatures foreign to it, surrounded by reeds and wild flowers. Even here, in your chosen escape, you felt like an intruder. The water was cool against your skin, but instead of disturbing the calm scene as only you would, you gently scooped water into your hands and pushed it into your face, taking time to clean the grime from your skin. You would bathe properly later.

Not feeling quite ready to return to the others, you sat down on a fallen tree trunk, careful to watch the rotting places. You relaxed and sat thinking of nothing, letting your mind drift. Hearing the approach of footsteps in your direction, you prepared yourself for a lecture. Probably from Oin. You see movement from the side of your vision and the the trunk makes a worrying sound as your approacher sits next to you. You wait a minute in silence, for the inevitable telling off, but it does not come. Turning your head to the side, you find yourself met with the handsome side profile of Thorin's kin, Kili. He does not turn his gaze to meet yours, not even to acknowledge you. You turn back to the lake, watching a frog jump into the cool waters. The silence is comfortable, and you begin to relax.

'When I was young,' Kili began, pulling you out of your thoughts. 'My mother would not let me out of her sight for long, and even then I was with someone. My uncle, my brother. I was never truly alone. I was always where she could see me. Under her watchful eye.'

You turn to him, confused as to why you were being told the tale. He turns to look at you, his dark eyes sinking into your own, pulling you in. He turns away. Continuing.

'As I grew up, I expected my mother would let me be, at least more than she was. But she was resistance to let me go with the other dwarves, to act my age and explore, and it began to frustrate me.

I craved independence, like my brother had, like the other dwarves my age. Eventually I confronted her,' he pauses, playing with a piece of bark talked from the rotting trunk.

'What did she say?' You whisper, curiosity getting the better of you.

He smiles slightly, eyes fond with the memory. 'She told me that in the destruction of her home, throughout all the hardship she had faced, all the death... I had remained her innocent one. I was too young to understand what I had seen, and she clung to that. She wanted to protect me from grief and danger, from the horrors in the world.'

He turned to you, meeting your eyes again, 'Thorin is only trying to protect you from danger, he cares.'

You scoff, kicking your boot into the leaves at your feet. 'Its not the same and you know it. I fell from my horse, that's all.'

'Maybe that's what you think,' he mutters standing as he pulls you to your feet. 'Come, little dwarf. I have a birthday present at camp for you, and the others will be missing us.'


End file.
